Residents, expert and PWD clash over causes and response to District 7 water main breaks and sinkholes

Philadelphia City Council members and residents heard repeated accounts Oct. 28 of water main breaks, sinkholes and related property damage in the Seventh Council District, and received technical and administrative responses from an independent engineer and the newly appointed commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department.

Councilmember Ketsi Lazada, sponsor of Resolution 250160, opened the hearing describing how sinkholes, potholes and cave-ins “impact community residents in a way that sometimes we as government don't expect,” and said the committee would gather testimony on causes, accountability and remedies.

Residents gave detailed examples of damage and disrupted lives. “I called 311 in July. In November they came and put signs. Come December, nothing was done. January, I called and I was informed that the case had been closed because why? I don't know,” resident Zelda Hernandez told the committee, describing lost parking, medical complications for a disabled veteran in the household and ongoing mold concerns.

Pablo Ayala said he found roughly “32 inches of water on my pavement” after a May break and described 82 days of pumping and repeated visits by city crews who left without resolving the source. Maria Arona said she had filed “over 100” 311 reports since 2022 about street collapse, roof leaks and mold and criticized nearby development and unpermitted work.

An independent engineer, George…